• Kakuma Refugee Camp's food rations have been halved due to US aid cuts.
• Over 300,000 refugees are suffering from increased malnutrition and food insecurity.
• Children's hospital admissions for malnutrition have significantly increased, leading to fatalities.
• Cash transfers that supplemented food rations have ended, worsening the situation.
• Local businesses are also suffering as aid cuts impact their customer base.

In the Kakuma Refugee Camp, located in northwestern Kenya and home to over 300,000 refugees, the humanitarian crisis is deepening as food rations have been cut in half. This drastic change follows significant reductions in funding from the United States, which had previously supported the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) until aid was paused in March as part of a broader cutback in foreign aid under the Trump administration. As a result, many individuals, including Martin Komol, a Ugandan refugee and father of five, report living on just one meal per day, surviving largely on handouts from neighbors due to the lack of sufficient food available, according to Indiatimes and South China Morning Post.

The World Food Programme now provides only 3 kilograms of rice per person monthly, significantly below the 9 kilograms recommended for proper nutrition. This austerity has led to widespread malnutrition, especially among children under five and pregnant women. Sammy Nyang’a, a nutrition officer with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), notes an alarming increase in malnutrition cases, with admissions to stabilization wards surging from 58 in March to 146 in April, and 106 in May, resulting in deaths of 15 children in April alone, according to Africanews and Los Angeles Times.

As the humanitarian crisis extends beyond just food shortages, cash transfers previously used to purchase additional food items have ceased, exacerbating the situation. Without these funds, families now face the grim reality of only receiving basic rations of rice, lentils, and cooking oil, leading many to rely on water to stave off hunger pangs. Colin Buleti, head of WFP operations in Kakuma, warns that if additional funding does not come by August, only the most vulnerable will receive what little assistance remains. Schools are also under threat; many children depend on school feeding programs for their daily meals, which now face severe limitations, as highlighted by Africanews and South China Morning Post.

The ramifications of these cuts are not limited to the refugee population. Local businesses are feeling the financial impact as well. Businessman Chol Jook mentions a steep drop in sales due to the reduction of customers reliant on the cash transfer system, putting further economic pressure on the community. With rising debt among those trying to buy food on credit, the overall sustainability of the Kakuma economy is being jeopardized. This perspective is shared across sources, including Indiatimes, Africanews, and Los Angeles Times.